Theatre

Truth and Big Lies

Truth and Big Lies

If my cal­cu­la­tions are cor­rect, the New Zea­l­and Inter­na­tion­al Com­edy Fest­iv­al should be going on as you read these very words. The com­edy fest­iv­al is, like so many events on the […]

The more things change

The more things change

Ever since I took over this column in early 2012, I feel like everything I have writ­ten has come with the sub­text of com­ing change. Much as we love it, […]

You know, for the kids

You know, for the kids

There is a ques­tion that has been rat­tling round my head: why is it that cinephiles can so hap­pily and pub­licly admit to the ador­a­tion of children’s films — half […]

Circa 2015

Circa 2015

Circa Theatre has had an odd hand­ful of years. The whole envir­on­ment around the arts has shif­ted, and audi­ences with it. Circa’s greatest skill has always been know­ing its audience […]

Something’s Fishy in the State of Theatremark

Something’s Fishy in the State of Theatremark

Some define art by say­ing that it is everything done without mater­i­al pur­pose. Even ignor­ing the fact that this codi­fies the darkest corners of the Inter­net as art, this view […]

Man Alone

There is a long his­tory of solo shows in this coun­try. From the early icon­ic works of Bruce Mason — shows he would per­form him­self up and down the country, […]

Arts and Sciences

Arts and Sciences

One of the least pro­duct­ive things going on in the cur­rent cul­tur­al con­ver­sa­tion is the idea that the arts and the sci­ences need to be sep­ar­ate. A lot of this […]

The Biggest OE

The Biggest OE

I shouldn’t have to tell you that this year marks the centen­ni­al of the start of the First World War. The well-recor­ded and tra­gic involve­ment of many men from New […]

Learning in public

Learning in public

There are many advant­ages to writ­ing for the stage. The feed­back of a live audi­ence is dir­ect and often undeni­able. It is easi­er, at least if you’re not look­ing to […]